1- Select an image.
2- Upload it.
3- Add it to your blog HTML.
1- Select an Image
This is a fairly simple thing, you can either chose an image wallpaper from your computer or web. Of course, if you're selecting a full wallpaper then it will be quite heavy in size and eventually your blog will take too much time to load.
I recommend you to use a pattern instead of a large image. A pattern is also an image but it has a very small size and it is repeated in the blog background. We can use it to cover whole background through a CSS background property which will be explained later.
Tip: Go to Din Patterns to download high quality patterns for your blog background.
2- Upload it
I assume that you've already selected an image or a pattern and now we need to upload it on some image host. Fortunately, Blogger provides each user 1Gb free space to store images which is more than enough, so just upload your image on Blogger and then come back.
How to Host Images on Blogger
3- Add it to your blog HTML
I'm assuming that now you've completed the previous two steps and we're ready to move on. Now, you need to follow these simple steps to complete this tutorial:
1- Go to Design -> Edit HTML and find:
body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
}You might not be able to find the exact above code but you'll definitely find some code of this form:
body {
.
.
.
Some Code Here
.
.
.
}2- Once you've found the above mentioned code, you need to add following code in it:
background-image:url(URL of your image from step 2);
background-repeat: repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;Please note that this code is only for adding a pattern, if you're adding a large image, please see the heading Aligning Background Image later in this tutorial otherwise continue from here. After adding the code mentioned in Step 2, overall code should look something like this:
body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url(URL of your image from step 2);
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
}3- Replace URL of your image from step 2 with your uploaded image URL which you uploaded above in this tutorial.
4- You can also try changing background-attachment: fixed; to background-attachment: scroll;. This way, your background will also move when you scroll your blog but I won't recommend doing this.
Aligning Background Image
If you've added a background image (not pattern) then it's very important to align it correctly. Here is the code to add an image in the background:
background-image:url(URL of your image from step 2);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-position: left top;Overall, the code should look something like this:
body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url(URL of your image from step 2);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-position: left top;
}As you can see, I've changed the code a bit by changing repeat to no-repeat and also adding Background Position property. The no-repeat will make sure that our image doesn't repeat itself. The Background Position property has 2 parameters which define horizontal and vertical positioning of an image. In the above code, horizontal position is left and vertical position is Top so our image will be placed according to these parameters. Here is a list of possible parameters of Background Position property.
background-position: left top;
background-position: left center;
background-position: left bottom;
background-position: right top;
background-position: right center;
background-position: right bottom;
background-position: center top;
background-position: center center;
background-position: center bottom;Final Thoughts
People love personalizing their blogs and adding an image in blog background surely adds more personalization in a blog. This is the most famous tutorial on Beta Templates and I'm thankful to you guys for that.
I am looking to determine if I can place my background image down just the left border and the right border.
ReplyDeleteI added the follwoing to my template and a column of my image down only the left hand side of my screen:
background-image:url(URL of your image);
background-repeat:repeat-y;
background-position:0% 100%;
background-attachment: scroll;
Any suggestions?
Totally didn't understood your question, can you please take a screen shot and give it to me?
ReplyDeleteYour site is AWESOME! I think your tutorials are clear and very helpful! Thank you for providing this high quality information! I appreciate it!
ReplyDeletefor some reason your instructions on using Blogger for hosting didn't work. when i pasted the link in step 3, it wouldn't work. my Photobucket link worked though. otherwise it worked perfectly! thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi coolhandjhony make sure when you paste the image URL, it doesn't contain "s1600-h" otherwise the image might not show...
ReplyDeleteThis worked perfectly THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeleteawesome! Thank you so much for this info, I would have NEVER known how to do this. It worked great!!
ReplyDeleteWOW! this is amazing. thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I was really starting to get frustrated. Glad your blog came up on search results!
ReplyDeleteJenno
http://lajenno.blogspot.com
@ La Jenno, thanks for appreciation, feel free to ask any help for Blogger.
ReplyDeletehi...thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI did it after a few tries.
I removed the "background-repeat:repeat" so it wouldn't repeat, but it still does.
Am I doing something wrong?
I've got it as:
body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8wBn9_9dU-c/SsMj65A3IxI/AAAAAAAAAAU/FVrTWOoh8LE/bg+damn+hormones.jpg);
background-attachment: scroll; }
oops!!! i'm sorry...I fixed the problem.
ReplyDeletepls don't approve the earlier comment, but thank you so much for the guide
very helpful
@ Crazy Cat, it's ok, thanks for appreciation.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say thanks for the tip - it's de-blandified the new blog I'm doing perfectly!
ReplyDeleteCan you help me? WHat have I done wrong? I have no background image - just blackness...
ReplyDeleteHere's my code:
body {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
background: $mainBgColor;
color: $mainTextColor;
font: $bodyFont;
background-image:url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snTgSI-R0d0/Ss4NQ8hLd8I/AAAAAAAAAAU/b9V6ismvI2I/s400/13+10+2007+017.jpg) background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-attachment: fixed; background-position: right top;
background-color: #000000;}
@ , Just use the following code instead of yours:
ReplyDeletebody {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
background: #fff;
color: #000;
background-image:url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snTgSI-R0d0/Ss4NQ8hLd8I/AAAAAAAAAAU/b9V6ismvI2I/s1600/13+10+2007+017.jpg);
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-position: right top;
background-color: #000000;
}
Actually when we use Blogger images somewhere other than in posts then you have to use the image address which contains s1600-h (h is removed) and not s400 like you did here.
The address you used:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snTgSI-R0d0/Ss4NQ8hLd8I/AAAAAAAAAAU/b9V6ismvI2I/s400/13+10+2007+017.jpg
The address I modified and used:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snTgSI-R0d0/Ss4NQ8hLd8I/AAAAAAAAAAU/b9V6ismvI2I/s1600/13+10+2007+017.jpg
Read this article for more details:
http://bloggerfaqs.blogspot.com/2009/06/use-blogger-upload-host-images.html
Your instructions were easy to follow. It worked...You totally rock!
ReplyDeleteI have made the crumpled paper my entire background, but i only wanted it for blog posts and for the side bar. how can i fix this?
ReplyDelete@ laura pearl, yes that can be done by adding the background to the "Content-Wrapper" but for exact implementation, I need your blog address where you're applying this hack.
ReplyDeleteIf you're using a private blog or you don't wanna share your blog here for any reason then create a test blog and use same template as you're using on your main blog, then gimme the address of your test blog!
omg this was so helpful! thanks!
ReplyDeleteI had wanted 1 single stretched background and instead what I am getting in lots of squares of the background... they look like little tiles repeating over and over. Anyway that I can get a single picture stretched over the whole page?
ReplyDelete@ Olathe Community Creche, I think you're using the property background-repeat:repeat; which causes the background image to repeat itself. So, instead of background-repeat:repeat;, please use background-repeat:no-repeat;. This way, your background will not repeat itself!
ReplyDeletethanks!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to explain this process. It worked like a charm! Very much appreciated :)
ReplyDeleteThanks again!!
I want just a stripe of my pattern on the left and right of my blog. How do I do this?
ReplyDeleteThanks soooo much!
ReplyDeletehow to make the background image fix best to window? does any value needed to assign for the width & height?
ReplyDeleteOMGGG! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :):)
ReplyDelete@ ~ f i Q ~, sorry but I can't understand your answer! Can you please explain what you wanna say????
ReplyDeleteThank you soooo much
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post! Very thorough and informative.
ReplyDeleteI have a question. Is it possible to just put a picture on the left and right sides. Not the entire background. I want the middle where the posts are to be blank. And my image to just be on the sides.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
@ Trisha, yes that's possible but I can't write another tutorial for that. So, I'd suggest you to send me the pics which you want on right and left side and I'll edit the background as a whole (keeping posts background intact) and send you the final product.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it worked perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help!!!
ReplyDeleteMy background picture was successfully set.
ReplyDeleteI neeed to know how i can make the Page elements background white??
THANKS MAN...
ReplyDelete@ Boo, What is "Page Elements"? Please elaborate!
ReplyDeleteTHANKS A LOT!!! VERY HELPFUL!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! Very clear and helpful!
ReplyDeletehelp me, what will i do if i dont want the image to be repeated because im not using a pattern and what if i want the image to perfectly fit in the center of my page? help me.
ReplyDeletethe image i uploaded and applied in my background keeps repeating itself although i already made the "no-repeat" one and i want it to be one image that fits perfectly in my window how is that?
ReplyDeleteMine isn't showing the wallpaper, what could I be doing wrong?
ReplyDeletebody {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url([IMG]http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/sallyvosloophotography/SVP.jpg[/IMG]);
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
}
@ doodles, please gimme your blog address, thanks :-)
ReplyDelete@ , please use the following code instead of yours:
ReplyDeletebody {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url(http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae71/sallyvosloophotography/SVP.jpg);
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
}
perfect! thanks!
ReplyDeletethank you so much..finally i've got what i want
ReplyDeletehello, I'm having the same trouble with Trisha. I need the image on just the left and right side of the page.
ReplyDeleteI tried
background-attachment: fixed;
background-repeat: repeat-y;;
background-position: left;
background-position: right;
and
background-position: left right;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-repeat: repeat-y;;
and
background-attachment: fixed;
background-repeat: repeat-y;;
background-position: left and right;
but it didn't seem to work :(
I really like this template though...
could you help?
my blog: http://inkedlittlesecrets.blogspot.com/
the bird image I'm using:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee27/Awintita/vintage-layout7.gif
thank you so much if you could help.
@ FaMY, please send me your layout. I can't write full instructions here!
ReplyDeletelevisinside0@gmail.com
i did everything you said and thisis the format thingy
ReplyDeletebody {
background-color: #ccc;
margin:0;
font: x-small Verdana, Sans-serif;
text-align:center;
color:#000;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
}background-image:urlhttp://nature.wallpaperme.com/1244-2/School+of+Tropical+Fish_+Tahiti.jpg;
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: scroll;
i put the url of an image from google adn when i clicked "preview" the background didnt show up at all, all it did was make the title and title picture go across the whole page.... how do i get my background to show up?
@ travel freak, use the following code instead of the above:
ReplyDeletebody {
background-color: #ccc;
margin:0;
font: x-small Verdana, Sans-serif;
text-align:center;
color:#000;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
background:url(http://nature.wallpaperme.com/1244-2/School+of+Tropical+Fish_+Tahiti.jpg) repeat;
background-attachment: scroll;
}
hello, great tutorial, also that on how to upload images with blogger as hoster to them. thanx a lot.
ReplyDeleteyou said to remove the /s1600-f part of the code. that didnt work for me, the wrapper didnt like that, so i kept it and now it works...
what is that part of the code for? would you tell me?
OK I Have tried for 2 hours now and with & without the s1600 and nothing shows. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong?
ReplyDeletebody {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
text-align: center;
color: $textColor;
background: $bodybgColor
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-image:url(=<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IRaOMq6KU-E/TAG0_e_WysI/AAAAAAAABHc/cz7dGsP9JaE//limeade.gifbackground-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: scroll;
font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma,Sans-serif;
font-size: 100%;
width: 100%;
}
@ Kendra, here is the corrected version of your code:
ReplyDeletebody {
margin: 0px;
padding: 0px;
text-align: center;
color: $textColor;
background: $bodybgColor;
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
background-image: url(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IRaOMq6KU-E/TAG0_e_WysI/AAAAAAAABHc/cz7dGsP9JaE/limeade.gif);
background-attachment: scroll;
font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma,Sans-serif;
font-size: 100%;
width: 100%;
}
I'm using photobucket as my image hoster, but I had to resize my 1600 px by 1100 px photoshop photo to get it to kind of fit, and even then, the background is still slightly too big... any help?
ReplyDeletehttp://snowders.blogspot.com/
@ tracie, the width of your background image is too much, reduce it more. Anyways, really cute family blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! Was a lot of help
ReplyDeleteI am trying to follow and got this error message when uploading the image and saving
ReplyDelete"Invalid variable declaration in page skin: Variable is used but not defined. Input: bgcolor"
Am I uploading in the wrong spot? Here is my code
body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
background-image:url(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn105/pictureperfectdesignsunlimited/blogspotback.jpg);
background-repeat:repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
}
@ Stacey, Blogger now offers to upload your own image as background so just upload your own image in the Template Designer.
ReplyDeletethanks for this info.. :)
ReplyDeletehow to add picture on my share link from my blog to facebook
ReplyDeleteHi ABBA, can you please explain or give an example where you've see such link. Sorry, couldn't understand your question.
DeleteI am trying to add my image as a banner I am a total novice and dont get this at all. the design blogger template does not let me place my image where I want and I have tried doing your steps and I just dont get it, PLease can you help? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Workout, can you please tell me where do you want to place the banner? You can show me an example blog or just do some editing in Microsoft Paint.
Delete